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Lord British on Personal Spaceflight
FleaPlus writes "The Space Review has an interview with Richard Garriott (aka "Lord British"), best known as the creator of the genre-defining Ultima series of role playing games. In the interview he talks about his current work as the vice chairman of Space Adventures, and his thoughts on private-sector spaceflight in general. It includes an anecdote about how he funded the initial Russian studies which opened the door for Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, and Gregory Olsen's flights to the International Space Station, but was unable to go himself after the late-90s stock market bubble burst."
Clearly this isn't some off topic first post troll. It is more likely an alien race trying to communicate to us via well known alphabet letters about the perils of space travel. Clearly on topic.
but that space ship out in the field in Ultima VII doesn't do anything, oh wait, what is this article about?
I think that 200k is a fair price. They do bring up some interesting points. If 10% of American's want to go there should definitely be a market...
But the Russian answer was more interesting. They said something like, "Well no! To even see what would be involved with that kind of mission would cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars just to see how we would do it, then to actually do it would be millions more!" So, the door was opened.
Of course the US says no way no how if its not our way its the highway. The Russkies say rather slyly, oh no we could never it would cost this much... We couldnt afford that, and come on who could our fine American friend? There is nothing that the right amount wont get you in Russia. Whether legally or illegally or that lovely gray area in-between. Some might call it corruption (i tend to call it that when its illegal or hazardous) but i like to call it the TRUE land of opportunity!
...and it should be known by now
His honor Lord British may not have been able to front the cash when the bubble burst, but the $200k pricetag is a cost that break the bank of most everyone. Relative to current launch costs (upwards of $500 million for STS), $200k is a hell of a bargain. Rutan and his Scaled Composites is merely one of many private space initiatives with an eye defiantly set on the future. Space offers extreme opportunities in manufacturing, research, power generation, medical studies, propulsion research, materials science, and a multitude of other investment possibilities. I fully expect R&D of today will within a decade become reality.
We're at the very very beginning of an explosion of space-based enterprise; private spaceflight will be fueled first by corporate interests, and then, with costs more manageable for all, and only then, will the dream of visiting space be realized.
I, for one, eagerly await that day.
Richard Garriot has always been a hero of mine for his ability to make a cool game, feed his family, and pay for his computer education with his series of Ultima titles. Probably most others don't share this perspective. But even though I do regret the consumption of Ultima into nothing more than yet another corporate brand of Electronic Arts, I do have a small bit of nostalgia for the guy who created it even if the modern game does nothing for me today.
It is cool to see someone spending their dot com bubble money on things other than fancy cars.
I don't think so. 200k is well within the reach of many many Americans (and other nationalities as well). People here spend near that on collections of toys all the time, and at least in Western Washington State, 200k is well below the average price of a 3 bedroom house. People think nothing of financing a $70,000 car, add to that a nice boat, a vacation to some beach or Europe... 200k is peanuts.
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
YOu bring back such fond memories of long hours in front of the screen shouting out loud "Ok, just one more mission!" I miss Origin. They started the entire big-budget gaming industry.
Anonymous Coward: "This is slashdot. Accuracy is second class citizen here, unlike King Bias."
He could have coded a backdoor into Ultima Online, and milked out hundreds of thousands of dollars of online gold. Just like Bill Gates has Skynet programmed on all windows boxes in case his plan for world domination ever gets out.
God spoke to me.
Space tourism seems to me like it might end up being more of a fad than anything else unless we can make space an actual destination... in other words, space stations or bases on $celestial_body that can be used as resorts...
(or at least really expensive restaurants... heh).
Two for the price of one, and it answered THE burning question with regards to Lord British.
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=23377
Strangely, after that fateful day by the pool last May, neither Garriot or Spector will get within 100 yards of me, restraining order or no.
-Charlie
$200k is within so many people's reach for a house because banks will lend people money to buy one. It's a tangible asset they can take ownership of if the buyer stops making mortgage payments. Space flight isn't something that can be taken back and resold to pay off bad debt, it will be very hard to convince a bank to give you a loan for it.
There are many *many* more people who can qualify for a $200,000 mortgage than can afford to blow $200k in cash on a space vacation.
0 1 - just my two bits
In space, no one can hear you scream when you get assassinated -- again. :P
Yup. He was one of the first men to orbit the earth.
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